Bartender
by crooked-little-smile
Summary: Bella is a bartender at Cullen's Bar, a classy sports bar. She's an independant woman who hates to rely on any one but when it comes to matters of life and death, and even love sometimes you have no choice. AU AH
1. Chapter 1

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**Bartender is my newest creation and is a BellaxEmmett story.**

**The others are in the story aswell, but Edward is very much so gay.**

**All characters are human, and as hot as James is, he is a monster, but not of the mythical persuasion. **

**Unfortunately updates in this story might come a bit slow, but reviews might persuade me other wise. **

**I hope you enjoy it,**

**-crooked-little-smile-**

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I walked into the bar and smiled at how many applicants were here today.

"You brought in some fresh meat, Edward?" I asked my boss. He was totally gay, but if you didn't know you'd never realize it. I used to be a shy girl but after a few months of the outrageous teasing and flirting that had quickly gone out the door.

"These are the aplicants for the jobs we have open now that we've expanded." Edward told me, taking my jacket and purse. "I'll go put these in the back room. Why don't you introduse yourself."

I rolled my eyes as he walked away. I stepped behind the bar and shouted through the door to the kitchen to Jake, Paul, Seth and Embry.

"You guys want something to drink?"

"Surprise us Bella." Jake shouted back. I grinned and pulled out four rocks glasses. I poured three Vodka 7's and filled the last glass with straight Everclear. I put them each on a small tray and handed them through the small window. I smiled and listened. I was rewarded with the sound of someone sputtering and by the sound of it, choking up a lung.

"You okay?" I asked sweetly as Edward came back in. The tray flew through the window and Edward caught it before it hit hit in the face.

"Watch it." He said, smiling.

"Sorry boss." Paul said gruffly.

"Okay," Edward said. "I don't do my interviews in the conventional way. I'm going to have a bunch of costumers come in and see how you do. Think of it as a test run. First thing's first, I want everyone applying for bartender to stand to the left of the bar, Waitresses and waiters to the right and bouncers in the middle."

Once they were all sectioned off he spoke again.

"Bartenders, for future references your uniform is black bottoms, red tops. You are not aloud to wear skirts unless you have shorts on under them.

"Waitresses and waiters, Black bottoms, green tops, Same thing with the skirts. Waiters, no sagging jeans.

"And finally, Bouncers. You will wear loose, drawstring jogging pants, and a tight white shirts, and steel toed, shit kickers.

"Any of you run into any problems and I'm not there you go to Bella." He said pointing to me, were I was sitting on top of the bar. "She's going to help me decide which of you stay and which of you go. First I need to make sure that those of ou applying to be bouncers know how to detain a female with out getting sued."

I smirked as Rosalie came out from the back and I got off the bar smiling.

"Hey there, Big boy." I said trailing my finger over one guys chest. He was massive, all toned muscle and yummy skin.

"This is Rosalie Hale," Edward introduced, an ex- firefighter and my business manager. "You two act like drunk girls getting a bit out of control. In an instant Rosalie was storming towards me and I shrieked.

"Bitch! I know you slept with my husband!" Rose screamed and tackled me to the ground. We were rolling around on the floor, me trying not to laugh as Rose pretended to strangle me.

A blond guy came and pulled Rose off me from around her waist. He did everything right except put himself between the two of us. I scrambled to my feet and dive tackled them. Blondie wasn't expecting it but the big guy had and he caught me mid air with one arm around my waist and the other keeping my fist at my sides.

Suddenly Rose shrieked at the top of her lungs. The blond guy, bless his heart, immediately let her go with his hands raised in a non threatening way. The big guy carried me over to Edward.

"Next." Edward said. We did it several times over coming up with some hilarious situations. "Alright."

"Thanks Rose." He said. "I'd like all the bartender aplicants to follow Bella, I want waiters to get a green jersey, and bouncers to get white ones. Bella you have ten minutes to get them ready in shifts of three and then I'm opening the door."

I nodded and set three blonds, dressed like whores, at the bar.

"Have any of you had any previous experience?" I asked and they all nodded. I knew for sure that two of them were lying and one was barely telling the truth.

"Okay, I want an All American, a TNT Cocktail, and a Kamikaze Raspberry." I said and watched as they scrambled to make the drinks. When they were done they set the drinks in front of me and I started with the first.

The All American had too much Bourbon and not enough coke, the TNT cocktail had no Cointreau, and the Kamikaze Raspberry was missing the Raspberry. I was barely able to hide my sigh as I turned away with out comment.

Rosalie caught my expression and I turned around again.

"Next group." I shouted. This time a tiny black haired girl came up with a blond lean man, and a blue haired man. His hair was probably brown but it had been bleached and dyed many many times.

'I want a Royal Scandal, a Russian Shamrock, and a Venom." I watched as they made the drinks and made a mental note that the blond man and the black haired pixie worked well together.

I drank the drinks in front of me and I got some weird looks from some of the waitresses watching Royal Scandal and the Russian Shamrock were made perfectly but the Venom was all gin and sugar, no cocoa.

I nodded and the next group came in. I rattled off drink names off the top of my head. Some of them were okay, some weren't and I noticed a few who had promising futures selling them selves on the street corners.

This was going to be a long night.

I knew that all the people coming into the bar tonight were being payed to come and I knew a few of them were going to create ruckus's. Edward posted a bouncer at the end of the bar, one at the door one near the bathrooms, two near the sound system and another patrolling the dance floor.

"Okay, in thirty minutes you will relieve the posted bouncers, spend a minute or two relaying any information. If theres someone you noticed, someone who is having problems. That way you know what to look out for." Edward said then turned to the waitresses.

"Wait ten minutes for everyone to get in and then start taking orders. One warning: You can flirt, be friendly, earn some tips, but under no circumstances to you sleep with any of them for money.

"If you have a jealous boyfriend come here and he starts something with a customer for flirting with you my bouncers will break their noses and they will not be allowed back in. If that happens you are on probation and even the slightest problem after that and you will be fired.

"All of you will carry around a yellow flag, like a penalty flag and if any of the costomers get rough with you or grabby, throw it up in the air, there is a magnet in it and it'll stick to the ceiling, making it easier for the bouncers to get to you. Understand?"

All of them nodded. He passed out the tiny flags. I had the bartenders get into position and Edward opened the doors. He came to sit next to me at a table to watch everyone. He had a file folder with all the applicants inside it. I immediately reached over and found several of the bartender applicants and crossed their names off the list. Edward made no comment, knowing to trust my judgement on this. I also circled the blond guy, Jasper Whitlock, and the pixie, Alice Brandon.

He handed me a sheet of paper and a pen. I had to keep track of anything I saw and how many bottles got shattered. Ten minutes in two bottles had been shattered and a blonde waitress had tripped directly into Edwards lap.

"I'm so sorry, Sir." She said with big eyes and a pout. She was trying to flirt with him. Gag.

I rolled my eyes and smiled as the first mini disaster happened. Two guys got in a tussle, that was quickly broken up and they were escorted out. Edward wrote a few comments on the sheet.

I waved for one of the waitress/sluts and was shocked that she blatantly ignored me. Edward crossed her off the list. I waved for another and she came over with a smile. She was a brunette and a quiet yet sincere girl.

"What can I get'cha?" She asked with a small smile.

"Two Acapulcos Malibu's and a rack of baby back ribs." I ordered for Edward and I. He always let me pick a new drink for him. There were just too many of them.

The drinks came back first and I tasted both drinks before giving Edward the better one. I still drank mine and I ate the ribs when they got there. I signaled a shift change on the bartenders.

A commotion started up and I looked up to see a female shouting at one of the waitresses. She must have been flirting with the guy while she'd been away.

I stopped paying attention to it and looked around. My eyes locked onto the huge guy from before and watched him look me up and down. I saw him smirk and then his eyes locked on Edward and he went back to scanning the crowd. Edward was watching him with a quirked eyebrow.

I tried to keep my eyes off him for the rest of the night but it was really hard. By the end of the night I had 16 shattered bottles and four people I was willing to hire. The applicants all stood anxiously as we deliberated. I wanted to ask if he was going to hire the big guy but I just barely stopped myself.

Just then James came in through the front door.

"Bella, I've been waiting for you for twenty minutes outside." He snapped, marching over to me. He grabbed my arm and I could smell the alcohol on him, see how dialated his pupils were. "Lets go." He pulled me off my chair and started walking me to the door.

I dug my feet in and jurked my arm out of his grasp.

"James, go home. You know we aren't together anymore." I spoke quietly and calmly. "We broke up months ago."

"You're coming home, Bella." He growled.

"I don't think she wants to go with you." The big guy said and I new it was going to get worse.

"You're sleeping with him, aren't you Bella?" James shouted and his grip became bruising. I kept any trace of pane off my face even as Edward gave the universal cut it out sign to the guy.

"James," I tried again but this time he back handed me and started mostly dragging me towards the door. "I'm not going with you!" I said, digging my heels in.

"Yes you are. And I'm going to make you regret sleeping with carrot top and Rambo-"

He didn't get to finish his threat because my fist collided with his jaw. He caught my wrist too late and I bent my arm, slamming my elbow into the same place I had just hit.

He let go and I put a few feet in between us. Edward moved now that I was in the clear.

"I told you not to bother her James." He said in a quiet voice and I heard police sirens out side. "And I just got you assaulting her on camera. You thought you were going to get away wit hit again on a technicality, but this, with the other evidence, is going to put you away for a very long time."


	2. Chapter 2

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This is Chapter 2. Hope you like it. Please review. I will post each chapter at the 20 review mark.

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I woke up the next day in the California King sized mattress, warmed on each side by two very delicious men.

I know what you're thinking but it wasn't like that. Edward was to my left and Tyler, Edwards life partner, was to my right.

Memories flooded back of last night and I sighed. After Edward had forcibly handed James to the police they had stayed to ask a few questions. Everyone was questioned and the security tapes were taken as evidence. I had needed two stitches on the inside of my mouth but nothing more.

For the most part I was just shakey and it had only gotten worse when Edward had introduced me to Emmett, his brother, A.K.A Big Guy. Emmett had apparently wanted to kick James ass for even touching me and was pissed at Edward for waiting until after I had been hit to do anything.

After a small confrontation I had turned to Edward and asked him to take me home. All I wanted was a shower and nice warm sheets.

They were definitely warm. The sheets, I mean. It actually wasn't too unusual for me to wake up in this bed seeing as my room was just down the hall. On the nights that Edwards stayed at Tyler's I would curl up on their bed and fall asleep watching a movie. Sometimes, when I knew the bedroom Olympics weren't going on, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and crawl in with them.

I remember the first night I had done it and smiled. I had woken up after a nightmare in the middle of the night and when I'd scrambled onto the bed in between them, still half asleep, Tyler had looked at me for a moment, then held the blanket up for me and when I had gotten settled, both of them had rubbed my back until I fell asleep.

I must have shifted because Edward stirred and his hand reached out for Tyler. Unfortunately I was where Tyler would've normally been and Edward was reaching below the belt.

"You're not going to find what you're looking for." I warned him. His hand froze, and he groaned before pulling it back. He raised his head from his pillow and looked at the clock. 11:36.

I had a little less than an hour and a half to get to class so I scooted out of bed. I was wearing my Mickey Mouse pajamas, and I briefly wondered how I had gotten into them but decided not to dwell on it.

I padded down the hall to my room and rummaged through my clothes. I grabbed a pair of bikini panties and a matching bra, tight blue jeans and a grey long sleeve shirt that had three buttons on the top. I quickly showered and blow dried my hair, then dressed, adding a grey jacket to the ensemble.

I put my gym bag on the bed and searched for clothes for work tonight. I picked out a red, over sized NY NY shirt, and a pair of black leggings. A long silver chain went into the bag as well.

I slipped my thick key ring on my finger then knocked on Edwards door.

"Answer it." I heard Tyler say through the slightly open door.

"Yeah?" Edward chocked out. I smiled because I knew that Tyler was practically torturing Edward with his mouth. From noises I'd heard before I could confidently say that Tyler was good with his mouth.

"I just wanted to let you know that I was leaving for school." I said. "I'll be done by 5 and at the bar around 5:30. I put Alice and Jasper at the bar tonight nd they should be able to cope for the first thirty minutes."

"O-okay Bella." Edward groaned and I smiled.

"Bye Tyler." I said

"Have a good day, Sweetheart." He replyed then I heard a deep masculine growl. I decided to play the odds.

"Hey Eddie, could I borrow your car today?" I asked. There was no reply.

"She asked you a question, Love." I heard Tyler prompt.

"Sure, fine, just get out!" Edward snapped and I giggled and ran for the keys to his Aston Martin. I was in the garage and driving down the street. I parked in the guarded parking lot and made my way to class.

I was trying to finish my degree during the day. I went to class from 1 to 5 and had two classes only. I was close and I was not going to let anything get in my way.

By the time my class's were out I really needed a drink. I my last teacher was a complete pig. I quickly changed into my work clothes in the bathroom and drove to Cullen's Bar.

As I walked in through the front door I looked immediately to the bar. Alice and Jasper were working very well together and everything was running smoothly. I did a quick visual inventory and made my way to the back room. I grabbed two bottles of Jack Daniels and two of tequila then made my way back.

A cheer ran up when I came up when I came out with the bottles and the bouncer at the bar moved out of the way for me. I set up the bottles and started making my self a drink.

I grabbed a tall glass that I'd normally put Mojitos in, poured in 3oz. of Gin, 3oz. of Bourbon, and 2 1/4oz. of Absinthe. When I saw Edward walking toward me I tipped the glass, trying to delay the inevitable. I slowly drank the Earthquake Cocktail, letting it burn down my throat as he watched and when I was done I put the glass under the bar.

"You always start the night by getting wasted with one drink?" Alice asked me with a smile.

"Not regularly." I said.

"You took my car." Edward said quietly. "You knew I was distracted and you took my car."

"It wasn't my fault you weren't paying attention." I said handing him the keys. He stomped away.

The night was fabulous, lots of drinks made, not a single fight, several customers were buying drinks for the bartenders as well as them selves.

"I need ten triple shot G Bombs with cranberry juice." A guy said from across the bar. "With a fifty dollar tip if you can do it in under two minutes." I smiled at the guy and took his money.

"Tell me when to start." I said grinning. Cheers went up and he started a timer on his watch.

"Now!"

Every one close to us watched as I took out a circular platter and set up ten rocks glasses around the edge and ten mixer cups at the edge of the bar. In one quick slide I filled each cup with 1 1/2 shots of Goldschlager and in the next Absolut Vodka. Then I added two shots of cranberry juice and stacked the cups and put a lid on top. I shook it all up a bit then I spun the circular platter and tipped the cups until they were all full.

Seconds later I heard the small beeping of his watch and smiled when he handed over another fifty bucks.

"One is for you sweetheart." He said. I took one off the tray and he went back to his table. I took a sip of the drink and set it high on a shelf were none of the customers could get it.

The kitchen closed at midnight and the guys went home to sleep and the rest of us kept working till 3 am. When the last of the costumers were out I finished the rest of my current drink and smiled. I was drunk. It was very difficult to get me drunk, but I was.

"Were's Edward?" Tyler asked.

"He went to the warehouse real quick and asked you to wait for him." Emmett said. I grabbed Tyler's hand and turned the music on.

"Dance with me." Everyone laughed as we danced and suddenly I got a really bad feeling. Edwards keys were still in the lockbox under the bar. "Oh shit." I muttered. I jumped over the bar and struggled to open the box. When I finally did I took out his keys and looked up at Tyler.

"He wouldn't leave his keys here." I said. "He would have taken them with him."

"Rosalie!" I screamed. "You lock up tonight." I ran for the door.

"I'll drive." Tyler said and I was aware that Emmett was following us as well as Jasper. We all got in his truck and sped off to the warehouse. It was poorly lit at this time of night but I saw three guys running and Tyler sped in that direction. When I saw Edward laying on the ground I jumped out of the truck while it was still moving. I rolled a few feet on impact then sprinted for him.

"Edward!" I heard him groan as I skidded to a stop next to him and cradled his head in my lap. He was badly beaten and nearly unconscious. "Edward I'm so sorry." I whispered as the others ran up.

"Alice thought we'd need an ambulance so she called and sent one over." Jasper said. "It'll be here in a few minutes."

Edward tried to sit up and winced, reaching for his shoulder. Tyler sat him up so gently and a gasped when I saw the J branded into his skin there.

"Edward." Tyler whispered and I just sat there, stunned as the ambulance pulled up.

"I'm going with Edward." Tyler said. "You take Bella home and give her a few cokes, she needs the sugar right now. Then you can bring her to the hospital. Jasper, take Alice home."

Tyler got in the back of the ambulance and held Edwards hand as they drove away. I clutched Edwards key's in my hands.

"Come on." Emmett said and started walking to the truck. My feet were glued to the ground.

Emmett saw me and when I looked up at him his eyes softened and he gently picked me up, care full of the scrapes I had gotten from jumping out of the truck at twenty miles an house.

He layed me out in the back seat and dropped Jasper off at the bar. A second later, Jasper and Alice were in the truck too along with Rosalie.

"Where to?" Emmett asked quietly to me but Rose answered.

"She lives with Edward."

Emmett shot me a sharp glance but drove to Edwards house. He carried me inside and Jasper poured me a glass of Coke.

"Drink this." He said gently. I realized how thirsty I was and drank the entire thing.

"Bathroom." I whispered quietly. Rosalie led me over to the bathroom and handed me a towel and a robe.

"You take a shower, and I'll have some clothes ready for you when you come back." She told me gently.

"It was James." I whispered to her. "Edward had a J branded into his shoulder." She nodded sadly and left me alone. I stood under the hot water and watched the red water run down the drain. It burned where I had scrapes, which was practically my left side. My hip, thigh and calf and then my shoulder and bicep but it wasn't that bad. I dried off then cocooned myself in the robe as I made my way to my room. I was still drunk but the adrenaline had cleared my head a bit.

Rose had set out a pair of huge sweats, and a stretchy longsleeve shirt that I wore without a bra. I slid on a pair of flats and walked out to the kitchen.

"Oh, Bella." Rosalie said, finger combing my hair. "Do you want to go to sleep or would you like to go see Edward?"

"He probably doesn't want to see me," I said dejectedly, turning away from them all. "It's my fault Eddies hurt and he's gonna be mad at me."

"Non-sense Bella." Emmett said. "He won't be mad. It's not your fault. And if he is mad at you I'll kick his ass."

I stared up at him and burst into tears.

"You better not hurt him you big stupid brute!" I was screaming and hitting him. He just cradled me to his chest and carried me out to the truck. "The key's!" I shouted. "I gotta bring him his key's!"

Rose handed me the keys and I clutched them to me as Emmett drove.


	3. Chapter 3

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This is chapter 3 of Bartender. I hope you enjoy and if I get enough reviews the next chapter is going to be in Carlisles point of view. He needs to do some soul searching.

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I sat in the waiting room, silently and cried. I had my knees pulled up to my chest and my forehead resting on them. I was holding the keys so tightly in my hands between my legs and my torso that I was bleeding, but I didn't care. I deserved it. It was my fault Edward was in the hospital, and for that I would never forgive myself. Hell, he would never forgive me.

That was the only thing I was actually good for, besides bartending. Hurting others. Everyone close to me always ends up getting hurt. I guess it was just a matter of time. I couldn't let it happen again.

Some one tapped my shoulder and I jumped, only to see a nurse beside me.

"Miss? Would you like me to take a look at your injuries?" She asked. I shook my head. "You're bleeding, please let me get you a band aid."

I really didn't care anymore. I switched the keys to my other hand and held out my hand to her. Her brow furrowed and she gently wiped the blood away with gauze.

"Miss, you're going to need stitches." She helped me to stand and guided me to the back.

"Where are you going with her?" I heard Emmett ask. The nurse jumped and looked up at him.

"S-she needs stitches." She mumbled. "You can wait-"

"I'm her body guard." He told her and showed her something in his wallet. She nodded and he followed us back. The nurse numbed my hand and the plastic surgeon stitched up my hand. I noticed that Emmett was very tense and I glanced at the doctor. His name tag caught my eye. Dr. Cullen.

"You!" I screamed and pulled my hand away from him. "You sick son of a bitch! Your son is here on an operating table somewhere and your to fucking bigoted to make sure he's ok? I know you're one of the best neurosurgeons. You should be in there with him and be helping him. He needs your help."

"He is no son of mine." Dr. Cullen said and I felt my temper rise.

"If you do not go help him right now I swear to anyone listening that I will make your life hell. If he dies because you're in here arguing with me I will make it so you can never get another job for the rest of your life."

He looked me over silently then held out his hand.

"Let me finish stitching you up and I'll see what I can do." He said. He finished quickly and Emmett led me back to the waiting room where everyone was waiting now.

"There is a police officer on the way to take our statements." Emmett said. "It'll help him catch whoever did this to Edward."

Carlisle came out about an hour later and walked directly to me, ignoring Emmett.

"Miss?" He asked. I looked up at him.

"Swan." I said. "You'd know that if you would talk to Edward."

He winced.

"Miss Swan, he pulled through surgery very well. He's in recovery right now with his..." He searched for the right word.

"Life partner." I supplied. "His name is Tyler and he and Edward have been together for 3 years. If you had opened the Christmas or birthday cards he sent you, you'd know that too."

He looked properly chastised as he continued.

"He's still sleeping but he's allowed to have visitors." I nodded to him. He looked at me for a few seconds and then turned and walked away.

"Bella, would you like to go see Edward?" Rose asked. I shook my head.

"You go see him," I said quietly. "Make sure he's okay." I handed her the keys and she left.

I looked up when I heard a small 'woof' and I saw a shaggy black dog walk in, led by a police officer. The dog took one look at me and jerked forward on his leash.

"Fuss!" The cop commanded but the dog didn't listen. He jerked the leash from the cop and trotted over to me and gave me a doggy hug. His hind paws on the floor, front paws on either side of me on the seat and his head resting on my shoulder.

I used my uninjured hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"I remember you." I said quietly to the dog. "I saved you, huh?"

"Woof"

I gently pushed the dog off the chair and he looked up at me with a wagging tail. I checked his name tag and smiled when I saw his name I couldn't help but smile. His name was Did It.

"Did It." Emmett said sternly. "Hierr." The dog padded over to Emmett and sat at his feet, nuzzling his hand.

"It seems that you two have already met." Emmett said to me.

"I used to work at a Pet Hospital before I got the job at Cullen's." I told him. "Did It was brought in as a puppy when he was attacked by another dog. The doctor was out so I had to do a procedure to stop all the bleeding and I saved him. After he was all healed up a dog trainer came in and adopted him."

Emmett looked at me for a bit. Then down at Did It. The police officer took our statements and left Did It with Emmett.

"Be careful, Miss Swan." The officer said.

The sense of foreboding grew inside me and I shivered.

"Why do I have to be careful?" I asked Emmett quietly. He looked down and I knew something was up.

"James escaped." He said. "He knocked out the police officer and ran off. No ones been able to find him and we think he's after you."

I felt the world spin and I slipped out of my chair, unconscious.

When I blinked open my eyes slowly I looked around and saw that I was in a room with Edward. He was still asleep on the hospital bed and Tyler was laying next to him with his eyes closed.

Emmett and Did It were sitting by the door and Alice was curled up on Jasper's lap in one of the chairs. Rose was sleeping on the couch. The door opened and a woman I had only seen in pictures came in slowly followed by Dr. Cullen.

Esme Cullen, Emmett and Edwards mother had tears in her eyes as she hugged Emmett and whispered to him. When she saw Edward on the bed she covered her mouth with her hand and gave a choked sob.

Tyler opened his eyes and scrambled off the bed, looking wearily at Esme and Carlisle.

"I''m going to get some coffee." He said looking down and I sat up.

"No you're not." I said. "If they want to be here they can damn well be civil and accept you into Edwards life."

"This is none of your business." Esme snapped at me. "I would like to spend some time with my sons. I think that's my right as a mother to see my sons. I haven't seen them in a while."

I kicked my legs over the edge of the bed, pissed.

"Who's fault is that?" I asked. "You could have visited anytime you wanted. You don't deserve to be called a mother after everything you've done and your husband as well. The only reason you're here is because he's hurt-"

"Bella." I stopped when I heard Edwards voice and turned to see him. He was still laying back and with out thinking I tore the IV out of my arm and ran to him. I was gentle when I hugged him and he wrapped his free hand around my waist. "Ty..." He called and I felt Tyler move closer and kiss Edward on the forehead.

"I am so sorry, Edward." I whispered quietly. "This is all my fault. It never would have happened if-"

"You caused this?!" Esme fairly screamed and I turned to her slowly.

"Yes." I said.

"You nearly got my son killed and you think I have no right to be hear? I should have you arrested. Carlisle, move her to a different room. I don't want her near my son."

"You have two sons." I growled.

She looked taken aback.

"You will stay away from both my sons!" She screamed at me.

"No she won't." Edward said from behind me. "She lives with me, and I've hired Emmett to be her body guard to protect her from the dick head who did this.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, watch your language in front of your mother." Carlisle spoke in an authoritative tone that implied he was in control, and he got what he wanted.

"Bite me." He said and I had never been so proud of him in my entire life.

Esme and Carlisle both gasped and Edward sighed.

"Look, I'm tired, hurt and all I want is to go back to my house and have Bella cook me a huge dinner. You are all welcome as long as you realise that it is Bella and my house and you will respect both our lives, choices, friends and sexual orientations while you're there. After that I plan on getting into bed with Tyler and sleeping for a few days. There is plenty of extra room for everyone to stay and I would be glad for the company."

"Let me just get a nurse in here to check both of your bandages and I'll get the release forms." Carlisle said.

"Why does Bella have bandages that need to be checked?" Edward asked sitting up. He winced a bit but reached out for my hand. "What happened?"

I looked down.

"She was holding a set of car keys tight enough for them to cut into her skin. She needed twenty-three stitches." The nurse from before said. She checked my hand and when she checked Edwards I was thankful that she didn't take any off.

Once Edward and I had signed the release forms we were able to leave.

"I'll stop by the house and pack a bag for us." Carlisle said kissing Esme chastely before leaving.

20 minutes later we were all at the house Edward and I shared.

The first thing Emmett did was check the entire house over with Did It and then came back to the kitchen.

Edward was sitting on the couch across from the kitchen and Esme was handing him a glass of water.

"That's not going to make him feel better." I said sarcastically. "Especially since he's not going to take the pain killers he was proscribed."

"Yes he will. He has them for a reason." Esme said snappishly.

"Mom, I tossed them before we even left the hospital." Edward said to his mother. "We don't bring any kind of drug into this house, prescription or otherwise."

I pulled out a half full bottle of whiskey and poured him some in a rocks glass.

"He cannot have alcohol!" Esme said stamping her foot. I rolled my eyes as I handed Edward the glass and one for Tyler as well.

"What would you like for dinner?" I asked him.

"Spaghetti." He said. "With meatballs and garlic bread. Please."

"I can make that for you Edward." Esme said.

"You touch anything in my kitchen and you might just lose a finger or two." I said and she stepped back aghast.

"Edward! How can you sit there and let your little hussy speak to me that way?"

I resisted the urge to hit her upside the head with a huge stainless steel pan. Barely.

"Mother, Bella is not my hussy or anyone else's for that matter but the kitchen is hers and she's very possessive about it. If she would prefer that you didn't help that is up to her." Edward said.

Esme glared at me and I smirked.

"Alice, Rose, could you help me with the food" I asked sweetly. They both smiled and nodded.

"Edward she's doing this just to antagonize me!" Esme whined.

Edward turned on the TV and switched to the sports channel.


	4. Chapter 4

Carlisle's POV:

I drove home from the hospital as I thought about everything the girl, Bella, had said to me. She was right. I didn't deserve to be called a father. I had abandoned my son when he had told his mother and I that he was a homosexual.

I parked in my driveway and sat there for a few minutes. When I went inside the first thing I did was pack a suitcase for Esme and I then I went to my study. In the bottom drawer was a thick stack of unopened letters kept together with a rubber band.

I pulled the rubber band off and opened the first one.

* * *

_**Hey Dad,**_

_**I know things have been rough for us lately but I wanted to keep in contact, just in case. I am working on getting my business on its feet at the moment. It's a sports bar called Cullen's. I couldn't think of a better name.**_

_**It is more difficult than I thought it would be but I am actually having a lot of fun with it. It is nice to create something from nothing, making it into anything I want it to be. I just got the inside of it finished today, now all I have to do is hire a staff, you know, bartenders, waitresses and waiters, cooks, bouncers, and others. **_

_**I know you probably don't want to know this but I broke up with Jacob. It was not working out between us. He is bisexual and I think he has his sights set on a girl he knows.**_

_**Tell Mom I love her and take care,**_

_**Edward**_

* * *

The next one was dated about a month later.

* * *

_**Hey Dad,**_

_**The bar is going great. I can't believe how well it is going actually. I'm probably jinxing it by saying this but I think its going to do well for a long time. I already have some regulars, and a few older men who sit there telling stories to anyone who listens.**_

_**There was a girl there tonight. I couldn't help but be enchanted by her, not in a sexual way either. She was there with a guy, and she was dancing with him. He looked like he wanted to destroy any guy who tried to touch her. From the look in her eyes I could tell that all she cared about was his attention. She was truly in love with him. It was almost how you look at Mom, but not quite, and he didn't look at her the same way. He looked at her like a possession. **_

_**I don't know why I was so interested in her. When she came up to the bar to order a drink she confused my bartender. He had never even heard of the drink she ordered. Most customers would get mad but she just laughed it off and taught the bartender how to make it. **_

_**Hope your job at the hospital is doing well, but not too well.**_

_**Tell Mom I love her and take care,**_

_**Edward**_

* * *

The next three or four were like that. Telling how the bar was doing, his personal life and giving a report on the girl.

The next one was different.

* * *

_**Hey Dad,**_

_**The girl was back tonight, alone this time. She kept her hair over the left side of her face and I know that there were bruises hidden underneath. I'm pretty sure that the guy she'd been here with before did it to her. **_

_**One of the waitresses took her aside near the bathrooms and I knew she was questionng her about it. The waitress had been abused by her ex- husband years ago. But the girl just shook her head and left.**_

_**I'm sure that women come into the ER all the time with this kind of stuff, is there anything I can do to help her?**_

_**I started seeing a guy named Teirnan but I don't think it's going to last longer than a few weeks. Honestly, I'm just tired of being alone. I don't like it and hopefully soon I won't be.**_

_**Please get back to me on this. It's important.**_

_**Tell Mom I love her and take care,**_

_**Edward**_

* * *

My God.

That was all I could think as I reread it again.

* * *

_**Hey Dad,**_

_**I met a guy named Tyler today. He is absolutely gorgeous and we hit it off right away. We're going to take it slowly though. He comes to the bar every few days and we talk all night. He's an architect designer. Mom would love him. I think he's actually designing the new wing of the hospital.**_

_**The girl also came back. She dissapeared for a while, but she showed up last night, with Jacob, of all people and danced all night long. I can tell why Jacob is infatuated with her. Every she came to the bar she asked for a drink that no one had ever heard of before. She always smiled, instructed the bartender on how to make it, payed for it, and then graded the bartender.**_

_**Around three am, just before we closed, they were still on the dance floor when suddenly Jacob turned and took her out the back door, looking scared as hell. When I followed they were already gone. **_

_**When I reviewed the security footage I saw that just before they left a blond man came in and looked around. He didn't find what he was looking for and left. It was the possessive guy from a few months ago. **_

_**Jacob called around 9am this morning and asked me to hurry over to an address. He sounded so panicked. I did and I found the girl there. She was badly beaten and raped. We got her to the hospital and waited several hours for them to come tell us what was wrong. **_

_**Her father came around one and thanked us for saving his little girl. She was going to be okay but it would take awhile for her to heal mentally and phisically from her injuries. The doctor asked us if we knew how she got the marks on her shoulder. Turns out the 'marks' were actually burns. The sick bastard branded her with the letter J. **_

_**She looked so scared when Jacob and I walked in to visit her. I don't know how she does it. Most people who had gone through what she has would come out looking like hell. She didn't. She simply looked like a battered angel.**_

_**I offered her a job as a bartender at Cullen's and a safe place to stay when she got out of the hospital. Her reaction was hilarious. She sat up in the bed and glared at me. She said that she would gladly take me up on my offer but she would not under any circumstances sleep with me and if she ever woke up to some one night stand 'shrieking in orgasmic pleasure' she would bash my head in with a lamp.**_

_**I know you're probably thinking that taking her in is unwise and that she's probably after my money but you're wrong. When she got out of the hospital I took her shopping and refused to let me pay for anything, including lunch. **_

_**At lunch she told me a little about herself. Her name was Bella Swan and she grew up in a small town with her father. She's 22 and in collage right now, working on several degrees at once. She's a bit of an over achiever. She loves animals and used to have a job at a small Pet Hospital. **_

_**If the doctor hadn't told me that she had been raped I would never have guessed. I read up on it and she doesn't show any of the symptoms that a rape victim normally does. When I asked her about it she told me that she's only a victim if she lets herself be one. She didn't want to let him win. She knew that it wasn't her fault and she was not dirty or unloved because of it. In fact, she said she's stronger now because of it.**_

_**She really is a remarkable woman.**_

_**Tell Mom I love her and take care,**_

_**Edward.**_

* * *

_**Hey Dad,**_

_**I have to say that I learn something new every day. A few days ago I learned that Bella is a very good cook. My kitchen resembled a dorm room kitchen a few days ago but this morning it was full of professional cookware and food. Lots of food. I invited Tyler over for dinner and she made lasagna that rivaled Moms. Don't tell Mom I told you that though.**_

_**He spent the night, completely platonic, and that was the first night that I learned that Bella isn't as tough as she tries to be. She crawled into bed with us in the middle of the night crying and snuggled up between us. She didn't say a word and we all fell asleep. The next morning she was back to her normal self and we didn't mention it to her.**_

_**She has this thing for alcoholic drinks. Its like she's a walking recipe book of them. She can pull names out of the top of her head. Hundreds of them, committed to memory. It's amazing.**_

_**Tyler and I have officially a commited couple. We spend most nights at each others house. I'm pretty sure that Tyler likes my place better than his because he spends most of his time here and when were at his place I think that Bella sleeps in my bed.**_

_**The bar is doing great lately. Business is booming. You and Mom should come out and see it. I'm sure that Bella could come up with a few drinks that you'd both really enjoy.**_

_**Tell Mom I love her and take care,**_

_**Edward.**_

* * *

I read several more. He never got frusterated that I didn't reply and always ended his letters that same way. He would talk about Bella and Tyler and the bar and Emmett and other things.

He told me how James had come to the bar looking for Bella and he'd practically dragged Bella from behind the bar before he could do anything. When Edward had tried to talk James down, James had accused Bella of cheating on him and hit her. Since James had been wearing a hood, he wasn't able to be positively identified and convicted.

Edward told me how he now had a bouncer at the bar incase something like that ever happened again and had ordered the bouncers not to let James in.

There were several birthday cards in the stack as well.

I stuck them in the suitcase with my clothes and drove to Edwards house.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

This chapter is not for the faint of heart. Bella tells her story.

* * *

I smiled as I cooked in the kitchen. Rose was sitting on the counter and Alice was energetically stirring the spaghetti sauce. I was chopping garlic and slowly inhaled the wonderful scent of Italian food.

Esme walked in with Edwards glass and my knife stopped chopping. She eyed it wearily but spoke like she was in charge.

"Edward want's a refill." She said. I refilled the glass and the doorbell rang when she was back in the living room. I checked the security monitors and saw that Carlisle was standing at the door. I hit the button that unlocked the door and spoke into the intercom.

"Come on in."

He walked in and set the suitcase on the floor near the living room.

"Thank you for letting us stay." He said, awkwardly, to Edward.

"Don't thank me." He said. "One word from Bella and I would have said no."

"You would listen to that girl-" Esme started.

"This is Bellas and my safe haven. If she doesn't want you here you wouldn't be here." Edward said and I wondered briefly how he became so patient.

"You-" She tried again.

"Esme!" Carlisle snapped. "Edward is right. This is there home and we are simply visitors here." I watched the shock cross her face.

Suddenly Alice screamed and I rushed over to her. Jasper ran into the kitchen and pulled Alice into his arms, asking her if she was okay.

I smiled when I saw the red stain on her shirt and moved the spoon before it burned to the bottom of the pan.

"It bubbled!" She said in amazement. "A big bubble right in the middle and it popped and splattered everywhere!"

I couldn't hold in my laughter.

"Jasper, why don't you take her to my room. She can pick out anything from the closet and wear it. I'll finish up in here."

Jasper nodded and Alice wiped some of the sauce onto her finger and fed it to jasper as he carried he down the hall. They were so cute together. He cares about her so much and I could see that he would do anything that made her happy.

I set up nine table settings at the end of the island/bar and set the food in the middle. I set out cups and utensils and called everyone in to eat.

Edward sat at the head of the table and Esme sat at his right. Tyler and I shared a glance and I urged him with my eyes to stand up for himself. Normally he wasn't so introverted but he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize the strenuous to non-existent relationship with Edwards homophobic mother.

He was about to take the seat to Edwards right when I spoke.

"Your seat is on the other side of Edward."

Esme looked shocked that I would through a fit about the seating arrangement but she really shouldn't have been.

"I only want to sit next to Edward." She whined like that was going to help her case.

"You can sit next to him." I said and only Tyler, Edward, Rose and I knew I was giving up my seat for her. It was very generous of me. "On the other side of him."

She huffed and switched seats after glaring at Tyler. Carlisle sat to her left and Jasper and Alice came and sat beside him. Emmett sat next to Tyler and I sat next to him and Rose sat next to me.

I fought against how _wrong_ the seating arrangements were and tried to focus on just eating.

"This is good Bella." Alice chirped and Jasper nodded.

"It is." Carlisle agreed. Esme sniffed it before taking a bite and I resisted the urge to shove her face into her plate.

This was wrong. I should be next to Edward and Rose next to me, then Alice and Jasper. Emmett Carlisle and Esme should be to Edwards right.

I took a bite of the food and filled my glass with Vodka and 7UP. I concentrated on just eating. It wasn't easy.

"Alice, what is it that you do?" Esme asked, being fairly pleasant.

"I'm a bartender at Edwards bar." She told Esme. "I'm pretty well off just on my fashion line but I need something to do or I'd go crazy."

"And you Jasper?" She asked. I could tell that Jasper didn't like her because of the way she acted towards me.

"I'm a bisexual stock broker who is also a bartender at Edwards bar." He drawled out slowly and watched Esme grimace.

"You, Rosalie?" She asked clearly hoping to find someone normal around her. Rose smiled.

"I'm a business manager and a personal shopper. I shop for women all over for special occasions such as company functions and fundraisers. I also teach a self-defense class for battered women so that they know how to protect them selves. I'm currently with out a partner but I'll find her one day."

"Her?" Esme choked out.

"I'm a lesbian."

"And let me guess." Esme snapped at me. "You're the resident trisexual who parties all night and frequently participates in menages with both sexes and sometimes inanimate objects?"

"Esme!"

"Mother!"

I held up my hand and smiled at Esme.

"I'm actually completely straight. I work at Edwards bar at night and during the day I go to college to work on my degree in architecture and literature. When I'm not working or at school I'm working on my dissertation on the effects of rape on women from different social statuses. I'm working towards my Masters in psychology."

She stared at me stunned as I took another bite and her fork clattered to the table.

"Collage isn't cheap." She commented. "How do you support yourself, your classes and this place if you only work at Edwards bar?"

I could tell that while she tried to disguise the question as an insinuation that she was really interested.

"I grew up a very privileged little girl. When my parents died the left me everything but I couldn't get it until I was 18. Now, I'm glad they made that stipulation because I would have wasted it all on drugs. By the time I was 18 I was clean again and trying to get my life back on the right track. I was working at a Pet Hospital and the only thing I used the money on was my schooling. Everything else I used my paycheck on."

I was finished with my food now so I stood and took my plate to the sink. I rinsed of my dishes and put them in the dryer. I also washed the stuff I used when cooking and put it all away.

I heard a seat being pushed back and spoke with out turning.

"Edward Cullen sit your ass back in that seat. You are hurt and you will not help with the dishes." I heard Tyler chuckle and Edward sit back in his seat.

When I was done cleaning up the dishes and the counter I took everyone for the tour of the house. When every one had gotten settled into their rooms I started to run a bath for me in my ensuit bathroom.

There was a knock on my door and I opened it to see Emmett. He was standing there in just his work clothes minus the shirt.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about the James situation." He said.

"I was just getting ready for a bath. We can talk then or we can wait until tomorrow."

"Now's good. " He said. He stepped in and I shut the door behind him. I didn't care that I was only in a robe.

"Gimme a sec to get in the water." I said. When I was in I called to him and he came in and sat on the toilet seat.

I slipped my head back on the headrest and closed my eyes, enjoying the hot bubbly water.

"So James was your boyfriend?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah." I said. "I dated him when I was still in high school and we were practically inseparable for a long time. He took me out to parties and eventually got me hooked on speed. Not bad at first, I got high like once a week. I was still going to work and everything. But slowly it got worse and I barely passed high school.

"He got in with some bad people. He'd been trying to deal, and use at the same time and it didn't work for him. He owed people a lot of money but I didn't care because I thought I loved him. I stayed with him.

"We had started going to Cullen's to dance and relax. The first time he hit me I came to some very harsh realizations. He didn't love me, I needed help, I needed to get away from him, and I needed to quit the drugs.

"I called my best friend from a long time ago, Jacob, and he came to stay with me for a while. We went to Cullen's a few times and one of the nights James showed up. We left out the back door and went back to my apartment. I was stupid and asked Jacob to go to the store and get me happy food.

"James showed up. He beat me and raped me and then his friend Laurent held me down while James branded his initial into my shoulder. Not just once, either. Four times. I passed out everytime the brand hit my skin and he'd wait for me to wake up before he did the next one."

I took a deep breath and gave myself a few seconds to calm down, and then I finished the story.

"The last time he had Laurent do it… w-while he raped me. He wanted me to see his face when I felt the burn, smelled my flesh burning, and when he came inside me. It was his way of claiming me, of making sure I never forgot him and I would never be with another man with out remembering him."

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Emmett brush my hair out of my face and whispering in my ear.

"Bella, I won't let him hurt you again." He said. "That's why I'm here. To make sure that he won't hurt you. I promise I'm going to protect you."

He was gently petting my head, not in a condecending way, but in a calming way. He continued to whisper things in my ear until the tears stopped. I was exhausted. I had been up since noonish the day before and now it was near 7 in the morning.

"Would you like some help getting into bed?" Emmett asked and I looked up at him. His eyes were soft and I knew that he really would protect me. I nodded.

He grabbed a fluffy towel and layed it out in the empty counter, then came back and pulled the stopper out of the drain. He picked me up with one arm under my knee's and the other under my shoulders. He set me on the counter and used a second towel to wrap around me.

His shirt was now drenched so he pulled it off.

"What do you want to wear?" He asked.

"Pajama's are in my dresser in the closet." I said and as he turned away I added, "Thank you." In a near whisper. He smiled back at me.

"No problem, Bella."

He came back a few moments later with my pajama's and he rubbed the towel over me until I was dry.

"Hold this here." He said and I gripped the towel between my breasts. It was long enough to cover me from shoulders to knees. He held out a simple pair of black panties and I slipped my feet into them and he carefully pulled them over the scrapes and up my thighs. "Stand for me." He said. I did and he pulled them all the way up. Then he helped me with the long pj pants and matching t shirt.

He picked me up again and carried me over to my bed were he tucked me in. I noticed that the entire time he didn't look at my body.

"Good night, Bella." He whispered to me. "I'm going to let Did It in here that way he can protect you. Okay?"

I nodded, already half asleep and he opened the door. Did It jumped up onto the bed and curled up next to me as I drifted off.


	6. Chapter 6

I left the door to Bella's room slightly open and walked down the hall way to the guest room next to hers. I had seen a lot of sick fuckers in my life time and I knew that this was one of the sickest. How could someone so pure and sweet have been treated like that?

I peeled off my shirt as I went into the guest room where I was staying and wondered just what I was going to do. I knew I had to protect Bella, there was no way I would let that nut case anywhere near her. And he would definitely be coming after her. I took a hot shower and made sure to check the security system again before I laid down.

I didn't understand how a girl who had been through so much had sat in the tub, talking to me about it and then let me dry her body and dress her. Most if not all women in that situation probably would have had a panic attack from me even knocking on their door.

It took a long time for me to fall asleep, and I tossed and turned for several hours. I jerked awake when my door opened and started to reach for my gun when I saw that it was Bella. I flicked on the lamp on the night stand.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I asked, pulling off the blankets and sitting up in bed.

"Nothing." She said quietly, but she was pale as a ghost and trembling all over. I was shocked when she walked over and laid down beside me. She reached out and turned off the light before pulling up the light blanket and snuggling closer to me. "Go to sleep." She said, sleepily and after a moment of confusion I laid down. She moved closer to me and I carefully wrapped my arm around her waist. It took several minutes before she stopped shaking and fell back asleep and I soon followed her.

I woke up when my watch alarm went off and silenced it before it woke up Bella. The tiny girl was plastered to me and my morning erection was trapped right between her thighs. That was a serious problem. Carefully, without waking her, I got out of bed and took care of my problem in the bathroom. When I came back into the room the bed was empty and I could hear pots banging in the kitchen.

Ten minutes later when I walked into the kitchen I saw that the smell of food cooking had roused the other people in the house.

"What's for breakfast, Bella?" Tyler asked, sitting beside Edward.

"We've got pancakes, eggs, French toast, sausage, bacon, hash browns, fresh buiscuts and freshly squeezed orange juice." She said, not looking up as she expertly worked the chaotic kitchen.

"You've got all of that going at once?" Alice asked, looking at her in awe. I was pretty sure that she had idolized Bella as some sort of Goddess.

"Yep." She said, glancing up with a grin. "Any special orders?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you make a ham and cheese omlet?" My mother asked and everyone in the room looked up at her shocked. The question had been hesitant and very polite.

"Sure." Bella said after a moment of hesitation. She started to omelet and then loaded up two plates, giving one to each Tyler and Edward, before she shooed them to the back patio. Then she set out plates of food for everyone else.

"What have you got planned today, Bella?" I asked as we ate.

"I need to go to my thesis meeting with my advisor, in about an hour. Then I need to go to the library and get some books." She said and when she was done eating she went to her room. While she was getting ready I went and got dressed.

"I'm trusting you to take care of her, Em." Edward said when I walked back into the living room with Did It by my side.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her." I said. Bella came out of her bedroom wearing a black pair of shots and a gray tank top.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked me, and Did It padded over to her. She pet his head and the German Shepherd leaned into her, pushing her two steps over.

"Yeah." I said pulling my keys from my pocket and leading the way out to the drive-way. Her thesis appointment was two hours long and I ended up glaring at her advisor the entire time because he was staring at her chest and proposing lewd things to her. I nearly lost control when he gave a veiled threat not to accept her thesis if she didn't agree to have sex with him. Without looking up from her paper she told him that there were three Psychology professors in the city that were more than willing to become her thesis advisor. He went quiet after that, especially when I moved to stand directly to the left of her.

After that I took her to the College library and within thirty minutes she had checked out four resource texts and we were on the way back to Edward's house.

"Why did you come into my room last night?" I asked suddenly. So suddenly that she jumped in her seat.

"Oh, ummm," She said, biting her lip. "I had a nightmare and I knew that Edward was hurt. I didn't want to disturb his sleep. And, I feel safe with you for some reason."

"You feel safe with me because you know that I would never do anything to hurt you, Bella." I said and her cheeks became a pretty shade of pink.

"Is that why I wanted to kiss you?"


End file.
